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Who is Velvet and how can I help?

The Velvet Assistance Fund was named after Velvet, a dog who was stranded with her companions after falling off a ledge during a climbing trip on Mt. Hood. She huddled with them all night, keeping them alert and warm through the night until rescuers arrive in the morning. She helped her people get through their ordeal, and the fund named in her honor helps thousands of animals and the people who love them every year.

With $232,000 available every year (portioned out monthly), the Velvet Assistance Fund relies solely on donations from generous community members committed to helping animals and their owners. Donate to the DoveLewis to help animals.

What does financial aid cover?

The average cost of an emergency visit is $450, so we’ve designed our financial aid to surpass that in an effort to help as many animals as possible with the available funds. To help as many of the communities animal's as possible, funds are focused on supporting illness and injuries that are recoverable. See all of the qualifying factors to receive financial aid.

Is there anything that financial aid doesn’t cover?

Yes. We’d like to help every animal, but some medical care is better served by a primary veterinarian or will not improve the quality of life of the animal. Our veterinarians must decide that an animal has a good prognosis without fatal injuries or unrecoverable symptoms.

How much is available?

Thanks to our generous donors, we have $232,000 available in financial aid every year! To make sure we can use it to help as many animals as possible, we portion it out monthly and have a limit of up to $750 per animal.

Certification & Accreditation:

VECCS Level 1 Certified

The Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society (VECCS) recognizes DoveLewis as a Level 1 Emergency and Critical Care Facility. VECCS awards certifications to hospitals that provide exemplary patient care and outstanding efforts to raise public and professional awareness in the field of veterinary medicine. DoveLewis is the only facility in Oregon to be certified on any level (I, II or III).